Orlando's Frank L. Amodeo: Secret life of a tycoon wannabe

SENTINEL EXCLUSIVE

Orlando venture capitalist Frank L. Amodeo was planning to take over the world. But on Tuesday afternoon, he lost control of his own world and soon will be heading to a psychiatric center.

In court Tuesday, a Tampa sociologist-legal consultant was appointed to manage the business and legal affairs of the man behind Mirabilis Ventures Inc., the private equity firm that once boasted nearly $1 billion in revenues before its collapse.

Amodeo not only dreamed of taking over several former Soviet Republics, such as Tajikistan, and poor African nations, including Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo), but he also wanted to control their economies and telecommunications through Mirabilis. And in the process, he would force governments to dissolve, the doctor said.

"In this case, Mr. Amodeo was expressing the ability to tell the future, the ability to transmute molecules, rule the Earth and establish the Terran empire. . . . In my opinion, it's reached psychotic proportions."

Amodeo is expected to receive psychiatric treatment in Atlanta in the next few weeks so doctors could monitor new medication. Danziger said current outpatient treatment with Amodeo has been unsuccessful.

"I assure you this is not a ploy," Amodeo's criminal lawyer, Harrison "Butch" Slaughter, said after the court hearing. "We're trying to just get him stable. When you have a person who is incompetent, you need to get them to a point where they can make competent decisions."

The appointment of guardian Harvey Moore comes as the Mirabilis empire -- which once involved dozens of companies -- is in ashes. The Internal Revenue Service seized $13.3 million in real estate from Amodeo and Mirabilis in April as part of a criminal probe. The company filed for bankruptcy in May. Numerous lawsuits are pending.

Although Amodeo, 47, has not been charged with any crime, federal prosecutors have alleged in court documents that he and unidentified conspirators used Mirabilis to steal $182 million in employee taxes from payroll-outsourcing companies they controlled from 2004 to 2008.

Amodeo, a short, stocky man wearing a blue suit, appeared pale. He sat stoically during the 30-minute hearing and periodically consulted with Slaughter but did not speak. He would not comment.

His spokesman, Bob O'Malley, downplayed the legal action, saying that the condition was known to all Amodeo "colleagues and professional advisers for the past eight years." He said Amodeo was being treated for newly discovered issues and that the guardian will handle his affairs during that time.

Danziger told Orange-Osceola Chief Judge Belvin Perry that Amodeo suffers from Bipolar Disorder, Type I, Current Episode Mania with Psychotic Features. He had been consulting with Amodeo since last summer, along with his other doctors, attorneys and family. He also reviewed written materials and recordings of Amodeo in recent years.

Symptoms include unusual highs, boundless energy despite little sleep, disorganized thoughts and reckless behavior, including indiscriminate spending and "grandiose" visions that can last for months. The lows include weight loss, isolation and depression, Danziger said.

Two other doctors diagnosed Amodeo with "features" of bipolar disorder in 2000 and 2001. Amodeo's wife described similar symptoms back to 1994, Danziger said.

Amodeo was disbarred as a Georgia bankruptcy lawyer in 1994 and later went to federal prison for defrauding a client.

But it was Danziger's recounting of Amodeo's plan for global dominance that raised eyebrows. In areas that Mirabilis controlled, Amodeo "would be appointing regional managers to be the governors in these areas," Danziger testified. ". . . They would swear allegiance to him. Countries would come under his jurisdiction and he would appoint supreme court justices."

Danziger said he did not think Amodeo was a threat to harm himself or others.

Attorney Catherine Davey, who represented Danziger and Moore at the hearing, said a committee would be appointed to evaluate Amodeo's incapacity and report to Perry.